Be Strong
by CaptiveQuill
Summary: This is a collection of short oneshots that are based around the phrase Be Strong. Full summary inside...Promise! Rated T due to some violence and implied themes.


**Summary: This is a collection of short one-shots, written after I watched episode 56 (Temptress in the Mist) and Sango and Miroku both used the phrase "be strong". I started cooking up little scenarios where that phrase might be used, and so here they are. Enjoy…and review…? Pweety pwease?**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Inuyasha, he and Kagome would have gotten together after volume 5! Alas, I do not. Sigh**

_One..._

Miroku, Sango, Inuyasha and Kagome sat stretched out on the cool riverbank, watching Shippo play in the water happily. Kagome's bicycle lay forgotten in the grass beside them, warm summer sunshine glinting off its surface.

Miroku lay with his head in Sango's lap, his face – for once – was free of a hand shaped welt; he was behaving himself for once. Sango sat as calmly as she could, acutely aware that her heart was racing. Inuyasha sniggered, his sensitive demon ears picking up on the frantic beat.

_Keh…what's she so scared of? We all know how they feel about each other, so why does she get so nervous whenever he's anywhere near her?_

He rolled his eyes and let his eyes fall back to Kagome, who was lying in the grass beside him, the sleeves of her new sky blue kimono pushed back up her forearms. Her sun-warmed cheeks were glowing pink and a contented smile was on her lips. School had finished for the summer, and now the choice had fallen to her; where would she stay? Would she go back and go to high school, or would she stay in the feudal era with her real friends?

_They need me so badly right now,_ she thought proudly. _I want to stay here, but how would Mom and Grandpa and Sota react to that?_

Inuyasha sensed a wave of guilt pass over her. He reached out a clawed hand and let it rest softly on top of hers.

'Be strong, Kagome. One way or the other, you'll make the right decision.'

Kagome opened her eyes and smiled at him, visibly glad of his support.

'Thank you, Inuyasha, that means a lot to me coming from you.'

Inuyasha blushed and snapped him eyes sharply onto Shippo, who was still splashing about in the river.

'D-don't mention it.'

_Keh…now who's nervous?_

_Two..._

Kagome grit her teeth, her hands balling into fists around handfuls of Inuyasha's hakama, sweat tinted by dried blood dripping off her face.

Inuyasha helplessly watched her squirm and cry out in pain from where she was lying with her head in his lap, three poisoned arrows sticking out of her torso and left shoulder. Kirara had taken Shippo flying off to find Myouga in the woods around the small hut so he wouldn't get in the way while Sango and Miroku did their best to remove the deadly arrows.

Miroku gripped one of them in his hands, grateful that they did not have heads on them. Sango quickly rolled up a wad of cloth and herbs and held it out to Inuyasha; Kagome was going to need it.

'Here, get her to bite down on this. It has herbs in it to dull the pain and slow the poison.' Sango explained, positioning her hands on either side of the arrow embedded in Kagome's shoulder.

'Bite down.' Inuyasha advised, gently pushing the wad between Kagome's teeth. She squeezed her eyes shut tight and obeyed, taking little comfort from the bitter tasting herbs and Inuyasha's steadying hands holding her arms above her head.

'Ready Kagome?' Miroku asked, watching the rapidly deteriorating girl in front of him. Kagome opened her eyes briefly and nodded, eyes full of fear. 'All right. I'll try to be as gentle as I can. Be strong!' He said encouragingly. 'On three. One…two…Three!' On three, Miroku gave the arrow a gentle twist, pulling the arrow slowly free as Kagome's muffled cries of agony filled the room. Inuyasha's heart broke right along with hers.

The arrow soon came free with a disgusting sucking sound, fresh blood beginning to trickle from the wound. Sango and Miroku worked quickly to clean to wound, praying that Myouga would arrive soon.

'Its ok, Kagome, the first one's gone.' Sango said, trying to comfort her weeping friend. Kagome buried her face in Inuyasha's pant leg, tears streaming down her face. There was a deafening roar in her ears, and her body was beginning to feel numb; the poison was working fast. Her entire body tensed as Miroku gripped the second arrow, listening to him count down with stomach churning fear. Again, unimaginable pain shot through her, twice as bad as when the arrow had been shot into her. The room around her was beginning to spin; a combination of shock, poison and loss of blood would soon relieve her of her senses.

Inuyasha stroked her hair, trying everything he could to reassure her, tears of anxiety and frustration beginning to bead in the corners of his eyes.

'Just one more to go now, Kagome.' Miroku promised. ' Then it will all be over.'

Shaking clawed hands took hold of Kagome's, trying desperately to prepare her for the pain he knew was coming.

Damn it, I'm so sorry Kagome! Just hold on a little bit longer, please! You can't give up now!

Miroku gently took the last arrow in his hand, Sango steadying his wrists with her own hands.

'Here we go, one…two…THREE!'

Kagome screamed, pain ripping through her body. Shippo ran in with Myouga just in time to see Kagome pass out, cradled in a frantic Inuyasha's lap.

**Author's Note: This isn't finished yet...how could it be after only two? This phrase can be used so much...stay tuned for updates! Until Later,**

**Captive Quill**


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